[
Ecocentric Blog ]

Real Food Right Now and How to Cook It: Potatoes

Is there anything more comforting than potatoes on a blustery fall day? From mashed to fried, potatoes are satisfying, hearty and so delicious. I count so many potato dishes among my favorites – from potato chips (a serious weakness) to roasted potatoes to super loaded baked potato, spuds are in heavy rotation in our household.

A Brief History

The little homely tuber has a very rich and complicated history. Potatoes originated in the highlands of Peru (although Chile disputes this!); The Oxford Companion to Food author Alan Davidson notes that there is evidence that vegetable was cultivated there at least 2,000 years ago. The Spanish were the first Europeans to encounter the tubers, in the 16th century in Columbia, and soon after potatoes were introduced to Spain and Italy, and later in the 16th century to the British Isles and possibly to India.

They didn’t catch on right away in Europe – in part because the varieties imported from South America weren’t adapted to European climates, but also due to the potato’s botanical similarity to deadly nightshade. However, by the 17th century, potatoes were a critical component of the Irish diet (and were just starting to catch on elsewhere). A variety called the “Lumper” was monocropped in Ireland and, according to Davidson, the average Irish peasant consumed between seven and 14 pounds of potatoes per day. By the 18th century the tubers were being promoted by official decree in a number of European countries and had begun to become popular all over the continent and then the world, eventually becoming a staple component of many countries’ cuisines. In the 1840s, potato blight struck Ireland, and for a number of complicated reasons (only some of which having to do with the potato), a devastating famine was triggered. The Irish potato famine (or “Great Famine”) killed about a million Irish, and a million more emigrated to the US and other countries.

Factual Nibbles

According to the International Potato Center, there are more than 4,300 varieties of native potatoes, most of which are found in the Andes Mountains. There are also over 180 species of wild potatoes (most of which are not edible – one of these was implicated in the death of Chris McCandless, the controversial figure whose death in the Alaskan wilderness was the subject of the book and film Into the Wild).

The first French fries were served at the White House, under our first foodie president, Thomas Jefferson.

Potatoes weren’t introduced into North America until 1719.

Legend says that Marie Antoinette wore potato flowers in her hair, which helped the tuber become fashionable in France (for eating, not just as a hair ornament) in the late 18th century.

A plant pathogen, called Phytophthora infestans, caused the Irish potato famine. In May 2013, the exact strain of the pathogen was finally discovered.

Cultivation

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are in the Nightshade (Solunum) family, which also includes several important crops, including tomatoes and eggplant. They are not grown from seed, but from “seed potatoes” which are pieces of whole potatoes that you plant in the ground. According to the USDA, potatoes are the most important vegetable crop in the US, and are the fourth most important food crop in the world. Idaho and Washington State produce the most potatoes in the US (primarily the Russet Burbank variety) while China, India, Russia and Ukraine are tops in world potato production. The majority of potatoes grown in the US (60 percent) are used for processed potato products, including French fries, chips and other products.

Seasonality

There are early-season, mid-season and late-season potato varieties, making the veggie one of the few that is legitimately available almost year-round, even when grown locally. And because potatoes can be stored for several months, the tubers can be found at markets even in the dead of winter.

Environmental Impact

Unfortunately, there are some serious environmental concerns with potato production. The tubers rank pretty high (at number 10 ) on the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. In a fascinating essay for Smithsonian magazine, Charles Mann argues that potato cultivation “set the template” for today’s modern intensive industrial agriculture, starting in the late 19th century. Potatoes have the distinction of being one of the first crops to be intensively monocropped, and Mann notes that potato cultivation started the use of unsustainable fertilizer, in the form of nutrient-rich bird guano harvested from remote islands off the coast of Peru. Finally, Mann contends that potato production frames the creation of the modern era of ever-increasing pesticide potency and utilization, first starting with potent arsenic compounds used to fight devastating Colorado potato beetle infestations.

Fast forward to the 1920s Idaho, where J.R. Simplot founded his company (now called simply Simplot) in 1929. Simplot’s company is now one of the world’s largest agribusinesses. The company grew during World War II by supplying the US government with potato products, and grew even larger when they developed the first commercially available frozen French fry, eventually destined to be the primary supplier of frozen fries for McDonald’s. (They now produce everything from turf to beef products.) Earlier this year, Simplot asked the US government to approve several varieties of GM potatoes (one of which is a bruise-less variety – large potato buyers like McDonalds reject potatoes with bruised spots). Simplot also mines its own phosphate for agricultural production – and came under fire in 2012 for selenium pollution, which is a byproduct of their mining operation.

Sadly, only the types of input have changed from the earliest days of intensive potato production: instead of harvested guano for fertilizer, potato companies (unsustainably) mine phosphorus; instead of arsenical compounds to control pests, a staggeringly diverse list of pesticides (including insecticides, fungicides and herbicides) is used (here’s a listfrom Washington State); and potatoes are still intensively monocropped in the US and around the world. If you’re concerned about any of these issues, try to buy locally produced potatoes, and check with your local farmer about his or her growing practices. (*And check out our Real Food Rule of Thumb, below.)

Characteristics

We used to be limited to just a handful of potato varieties – there was a time when all one could find on the grocery store shelves were russets (baking potatoes) and maybe red (aka “new”) potatoes. Fortunately, it has become easier these days to find fun varieties of potatoes in wide varieties of shapes and colors at the farmers’ market and even at conventional grocery stores. Potatoes are generally classified by color, texture and sometimes by shape. Some examples:

Russets (aka “baking” potatoes) tend to have a “dry” texture

Red potatoes tend to be waxy or creamy

White potatoes tend to be creamy

Yukons (aka yellow potatoes) tend to be a bit waxy and rich

Purple potatoes tend to have a “dry” or “floury” texture

Fingerlings finger-shaped or oval; different varieties have different textures

What to look for

Potatoes vary wildly in size and shape – but in general, look for tubers with no black, mushy or spongy spots. Also look closely at the skin: if has a greenish tint or if the eyes have started to sprout, take a pass.

Nutrition

Potatoes have gotten a bad rap in the last few decades for being high in carbs – but the truth is, the tubers are actually pretty good for you. They are high in lots of vital nutrients, including Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, potassium, manganese and folate. Potatoes also have a fair amount of fiber, and even have good amounts of protein and iron. It is an urban myth that potato skins contain all of the nutrients in the vegetable. While the skin does, indeed, contain some of the vital nutrients (for example, most of the iron and potassium), the flesh is also rich in vitamins and minerals. Here’s a nice breakdown of the nutrients contained in potato flesh vs. skin.

What to Do with It

Potatoes are really one of the most versatile vegetables in the kitchen. They’re at home in cuisines as diverse as Irish, Indian, Spanish and Eastern European. They can be baked, steamed, fried, pureed, mashed, stuffed, roasted, grilled and boiled. Potatoes are classically paired with dairy products (think butter, cream, milk and cheese), pork (think bacon) and alliums (think onions, garlic, chives). They also taste great with stronger spices, like mustard seed, cumin and chile pepper.

Cooking

When cooking potatoes, it’s key to pick the type of potato that is best for whatever you are cooking. For example, waxy potatoes (like red potatoes) tend to hold their shape better, so are great for potato salads or for boiling. Baking potatoes are perfect for French fries. Here’s a great primer on common varieties, their characteristics and what they do best in the kitchen.

Storage

Store potatoes in a cool, dark place with low humidity (a basement is ideal). Kept dry and in a dark place, most potatoes will keep for at least a month and up to three months (or more!).

Stretching your fresh food dollar though preservation

Although potatoes can be stored for a long time, they don’t really preserve well otherwise. Freezing raw potatoes is a no-go, but you can freeze cooked potatoes, like mashed potatoes, potato pancakes (see recipe below!), twice-baked potatoes and French fries. You can also lacto-ferment potatoes – here’s a neat recipe for lacto-fermented French fries. Traditional cultures in Bolivia and Peru make chuño, which are freeze-dried potatoes. They can be stored for long periods of time, and are reconstituted in water before using.

Recipe

Purple Potato and Carrot Pancakes with Quick Applesauce

OK, OK – you don’t have to use purple potatoes, but they are so much fun! Sub any other variety of potato if you can’t find purple spuds. The key to a crispy potato pancake is getting as much starch and moisture out of the potatoes before cooking – hence the soaking and squeezing in the recipe below. Make the applesauce first; while it is cooling make the pancakes. (The applesauce can be made several days in advance – stick it, covered, in the fridge after cooling.) Feel free to sub ready made apple sauce for homemade, or top your pancakes with sour cream or Greek yogurt instead.

Ingredients:

For the quick apple sauce:3 large apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1-inch chunks1⁄2 cup water

For the purple potato and carrot pancakes:1 lb. purple potatoes, peeled1 small shallot, grated on the large holes of a box grater or finely minced1 large carrot, trimmed and peeled, grated on the large holes of a box grater1 tablespoon fresh chives (optional)1 egg, beatenKosher salt and freshly ground pepper1⁄3 cup olive oil or organic canola oil

Method:

For the applesauce:1. In a medium, heavy saucepan, add the apples and water. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until apples are very soft and the water has evaporated. 2. Mash apples with a potato masher, or puree with a stick blender or in a food processor. Let cool.

For the purple potato pancakes:1. Grate the peeled potatoes on the holes of a large box grater (or use the grater attachment of a food processor). Transfer to a large bowl of water and let soak for 5 minutes.2. Drain the grated potatoes, squeezing as much moisture from them as you can. Place grated potatoes on a kitchen towel, then roll up as tightly as possible and squeeze as much remaining moisture from the potatoes as you can. (Do this over the sink!) 3. Put the potatoes in a large bowl and add the grated or minced shallot, grated carrot, optional chives, egg, a generous pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix together gently with your hands until thoroughly combined. 4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot (but not smoking). Gently drop 2-3 tablespoons of the potato mixture into the pan, spreading out with a fork or spatula. (You’ll only be able to cook a few potato pancakes at a time.) Fry for about 5 minutes, or until brown and crispy, then flip and fry for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and add more salt to taste. 5. Continue frying the rest of the potato pancakes until all of the mixture is used up. 6. Serve with cooled applesauce.

Note: You can stick your cooked potato pancakes in the oven to keep them warm while you fry up the rest: just heat oven to 250°F and place cooked pancakes on a wire rack over a baking sheet to keep crispy.

(*Real Food rule of thumb: We think that first and foremost, in terms of nutrition, people should eat lots of fruits and vegetables whether they are organic or not. The EWG’s guide is a handy list, but we will point out here that the impacts of pesticides are not limited to your ingestion of them – agricultural chemicals also affect farmworkers and local waterways, both good reasons to buy organic, even those vegetables that carry a light pesticide load. Also, it has been demonstrated that produce grown by small-scale farmers, even those who are not certified organic, tends to have a lighter pesticide load than its industrially-produced counterpart, owing to industry’s tendency toward large monocrops.)

Tags

Responses to "Real Food Right Now and How to Cook It: Potatoes"

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on topic. You represent that comments submitted do not infringe upon anyone's rights including copyright, trademark, privacy or other personal or proprietary rights.

We need to make sure you're a human and not a spambot. Please answer the following question. What is 6 + 11 equal to?

By submitting a comment here you grant us a perpetual license to reproduce your words and name/website in attribution.